The invention relates to a context management system and method for a user of a local information transmission network, more particularly a local network including a heterogeneous set of interconnected terminals. In the present context, the expression “local network” means not only a local area network (LAN) but also a personal area network (PAN) or a wireless personal area network (WPAN).
When a terminal of a heterogeneous set of terminals interconnected by a local network sends an enquiry (request for information) to a website, it receives in return information corresponding to its enquiry. This is known in the art. This information may include data in various forms, for example text, pictures or sound.
The terminal may have limited information processing capacity and is not necessarily capable of using the various forms of data sent to it in response to an enquiry that it sent.
To solve these problems, French Patent Application FR 2 818 848 in the name of the present Applicant proposes an information management system capable of managing information sent or received by a local network including a heterogeneous set of terminals taking account of the differing processing capacities of the terminals of the network.
FIG. 5 shows a system of the above kind, which includes a server 2 connected to an external information transmission network 4. The server therefore has access to websites 6 via the external network 4.
The server 2 is accessible through a master terminal 8 that is also connected to the network 4. This master terminal 8 is also connected to other terminals 12, 14, 16 and 18 in its vicinity by a local information transmission network 10. These terminals are provided with means for communicating with each other via the local network 10, for example communications means supporting Bluetooth communications technology. They therefore form a piconet 20 of terminals capable of exchanging information with each other by radio.
The master terminal 8 includes means 22 for determining the composition of the local network 10 in terms of terminals and their information-processing capacity. Thus the master terminal 8 includes means for defining the context, i.e. means for detecting or defining at a given time all the terminals liable to be able to provide a service in the user's environment.
The server 2 further includes processing means 24 for determining the most appropriate subset of terminals for processing information coming from the website 6 in response to an enquiry sent by the master terminal 8.
The server 2 also includes adapter means 28 for adapting the formats and quantities of the information to the information-processing capacity of each of the terminals. This information is then forwarded to the subset of terminals of the piconet 20 by routing means 26.
Accordingly, when using prior art techniques, it is necessary to provide a portion of the context management system in each terminal, or at least in the master terminal.
Given that the contexts are stored in the master terminal, the user changes context management system on changing master terminal.
Manual and sometimes repetitive action is necessary for the user to change context. If there are many changes of context in the same day, the user ends up no longer using this context management function, which ultimately makes this function of no utility.